Lifeboat tackle



A. P. SCHAT mrnsoxr uc'xma Filed Jan. 4. 1921 Patented Get. 6, 1.92150 UNITED STATES .ANE P. SCHA'J, OF THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS.

LIFEBOAT TACKLE.

Application filed January 4, 1921.

To all 1072 0m it may concern Be it known that I, Am: P. Sonar, a citi- Zen of Holland, residing at No. 3 Kanaalstraat, The Hague, Netherlands, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lifeboat Tackles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to means for lower ing boats suspended from two tackles.

When two or more boats are to be handled by one pair of davits serious trouble is often experienced and loss of time when after one boat has been launched the running blocks of the tackles are to be hauled back to the ships deck for the purpose of lowering the next boat; for as a rule the running blocks turn over. And besides, the twisting of the ropes may interfere with the proper operation of the whole tackle even if non-toppling blocks are used.

Qne object of my present invention is to avoid the above disadvantages and annoyances, and to positively prevent the tackle from getting fouled.

Another object is to provide means for so arranging the rope, when desired, as to form a safe and convenient life line which is always held sufiiciently taut.

Still another object is to provide adjusting mechanism of wide range and quick operation for lowering a boat on an even keel, even though the ship may be badly down by head or stern.

Other objects will appear in the subjoined description.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in this application, I connect the running block of the one tackle with either the running block or the top block of the other tackle, by means of a single rope or the like of suitable length, and preferably I utilize the boat fall for this purpose. In this arrangement, the middle portion of the rope which connects the two tackles together,

forms a common standing part for both Serial No. 434,950.

may get entangled and thereby hinder the lowering of the boat.

Of course, when it is not desired to use the common standing part of the two tackles as a life line, it may extend horizontally directly from one running block to the other.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts as will be hereafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one embodiment of my invention. In the draw ings 2- Fig. l is an enlarged sectional front view, and Fig. 2 a side view of the left-hand tackle illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, these two lefthand tackles being alike.

Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic side elevations of pairs of my improved tackles illus trating two ways of leading the continuous rope from one tackle to the other.

In order to lower lifeboats on an even keel, even though theship may be down by head or stern, it has been proposed to lead the standing part of one of the falls back to a compensating drum on the ship, said drum being normally locked but adapted to be released to pay out or haul in the fall so as to adjust the level of the boat by raising or lowering the end thereof connected with said fall, as the case may require. This arrangement may be applied to both falls, in which case an ordinary brake is all that is necessary for controlling each compensating drum, and means for hauling in the standing part of either fall may be dispensed with, since all that would be necessary in that case would be to lower whichever end of the boat happened to be too high at any time during the descent of the boat to the water. The said prior arrangement has the disadvantage that it must be operated by a man standing on deck, another man being required for transmitting orders from the men in the boat to the operator of the adjusting mechanism, so that misunderstanding in the transmission of the orders may cause a disaster. All arrangements of this kind are faulty, not only in that the passengers are subjected to greater danger, but the lowering mechanism itself upon which everything depends, is located on deck where it is exposed all the time to salt water and salt air, so that-its joints may be rusted tight when the device is most needed.

In accordance with my present invention, the level of the boat can be adjusted by the men in the boat themselves, in that the standing part of the fall is led to a compensating drum not mounted on the deck, as in the arrangement just above referred to, but is mounted in or near the running block of the tackle. By turning this drum in the one or the other direction, the men in the boat can raise and (assuming the rope to be wound a few turns around the drum) lower the running block, and consequently that end of the boat which is suspended therefrom. The said compensating drum may be provided for its operation with a self-braking worm and a worm wheel, or other suitable arrangement to prevent its accidental turning.

Since both tackles have a common standing part, the rope is wound a few turns around the compensating drum in the running block carrying the same, in order that the frictional grip of the rope upon this drum may be sufficient to reliably rotate it. And supposing the gear and worm to be omitted, as they may be if desired, all that is now required for adjusting the level of the boat is pulling the rope between the tackles in one or the other direction, seeing that the energy required for raising one end of the boat is substantially equal to that supplied by the pull of gravity on the other end; or, in other words, that the forces exerted by the falls on the common drum are substantially equal. Hence the required pull on said rope will be slightpractically only enough to overcome friction.

It will be readily understood that the standing part which connects both tackles may run from either block of one of the tackles to either block of the other tackle; and when it runs from the top block of one to the lower block of the other as illustrated in Fig. l, a suitable life line is formed, which is always kept taut by the weight of the boat.

I now call attention to some of the specific features of my construction as illustrated in the drawings.

3 In my device, as illustrated on a somewhat enlarged scale in Figs. 1 and 2, 25 is the top block and 26 the lower block, 27 being the fall rove theretlniough. As is clearly shown in Fig. 2, the standing part of the fall 27 is led to and wound a few turns on a drum 28 which is fast on the shaft 29 on which the pulleys of the lower block are loosely mounted. Keyed on shaft 29 is a worm wheel 30 meshing with a self-braking worm 31 on a shaft 32 adapted to be turned by means of a sprocket wheel. 33 and an endless chain 34. The operation of this gear will be understood without any further explanation. a

Fig. 3 shows somewhat diagrammatically unloaded condition.

my arrangement of a pair of falls in which the rope 27 is used for both falls, the hauling parts being designated by 27 and 27 The rope 27 is first rove through the blocks of the right-hand tackle, then led to the compensating drum 28 in the lower block of the left tackle, wound a few turns on this drum, and then rove through the blocks of the left tackle. The length of rope 27 between the two running blocks prevents the tackle from getting fouled when hoisted in The tackle arrangement shown in f is identical in essential principle with that shown in Fig. 3. The fact that in the rope is led from the lcwer block of the right tackle to the top block of the left tackle (instead of being led directly from one lower block to the other) has no significance whatever except that the length of rope 27 between the two tackles forms a suitable life line always held taut by the weight of the boat. T he extra pulley on the top block over which the rope as just referred to passes, simply serves as a sheave for forming a bight in the portion of the rope passing from the lowerblock of the right tackle around said sheave on its way to the lower block of the left tackle for the sole purpose of causim the section of rope between the two tackles to extend in a diagonal direction to form a life-line as just set forth. For all other purposes involved the rope would extend directly from the running block of one tackle to the running block oft-he other tackle (as shown in Fig. 3) instead of being led around byway of said sheave, which sheave except for the formation of a life line would simply be an idler devoid of function, and hence a superfluity.

In Figs. 3 and 4, the worm and worm wheel might be dispensed with as the level of the boat can be adjusted simply by pulling the section of rope 27 in one direction or the other, but I prefer the worm and worm wheel construction, because in any event, if they were omitted there would be the need of clamping means for locking the rope on its compensating drum in order to avoid undue rotation of said drum especially after a strong pull or jerk on the rope which would impart momentum to the boat in whichever direction it was moved.

In the operation of my device, the hauling ends of the tackle rope instead of being paid out by drums (often, uniformly operating twin drums) located on ship-deck, are paid out by hand, often with great irregularity, as in the excitement and confusion of an impending disaster, so that the device is designed with. special reference to the fact that the ends of the rope often move independently of each other and with wide variations and fluctuations as to distance and speed, thus affecting their respective tackles,

and often requiring quickness and a wide range of operating capacity for the adjusting mechanism.

lVhen one end of a descending boat drops below the other, a party in the boat by means of the endless chain and the worm gear connected therewith, suitably rotates the drum 28 which runs the rope off one tackle onto the other, according to the direction in which it is rotated. This will cause the tackle giving off a portion of its rope to rise relatively to its standing block, while the running block of the tackle receiving the extra rope will fall. proportionately. Thus applicants arrangement simultaneously lifts one end of the boat and lowers the other, thereby giving a double-quick adjusting movement, or in other words, a movement doubly responsive to any rotary movement of the compensating drum.

Inasmuch as the rope on one tackle is run onto the other, the running block of the first named tackle can be run clear up into contact with its standing block if it need be, while the running block of the other tackle has descended an equal distance; hence it will be seen that the range of quick adjustment afforded by applicants arrangement is very great, so that however badly a ship may be down by head or stern, so long as the passengers can stand on deck to get into the boat, the operator in the boat can keep it on a level keel.

The section 27 of the rope will keep the tackles from fouling as they are elevated to let down another boat.

Of course a boat can be adjusted with my improved tackle arrangement, without any compensating drum at all, by properly paying out or hauling in one or both of the haulinq" parts 27 of the rope but it will require twice as much movement of either hauling part 2-7 as of the part 27, to make any iven adjustment of the boat. That is to say that applicants tackle arrangement, independently of anything else, enables one person in the boat to do as much toward adjusting the boat as both men at the hauling ends of the rope could do, while at the same time providing means for all three of them to work at once if they so desire. Again, the great range of adjusting movement. afforded by the tackle arrangement would not be decreased a particle by the elin'iination of: the compensating drum, so that the tackle arrangement within itself is an important feature.

Moreover, even with the drum 28 locked against rotation, the operator in the boat can take hold of the portion of rope connecting the two tackles together (the portion 27), and pull it from the right tackle toward the left, and thus quickly operate the right tackle, and of course the end of the boat connected thereto, without affecting the left tackle at all: hence we have here means by which the tackles may be locked against movement oi" the rope from one tackle to the other, and also by which one of the tackles may be locked against operative movement from its standing end.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. In means for lowering loads suspended from two spaced tackles, having their falls formed of a single rope, the combination with the running block pulleys of one of the tackles, of a con'ipensating drum carried by said running block for receiving the standing end of the tackle rope from said pulleys, said rope leading from said drum to one of the blocks of the other tackle.

2. In means for lowering loads suspended from two spaced tackles, having their falls formed of a single rope, the combination with the running block of one of the tackles, of a compensating drum carried by said running block with the rope passed around said drum, said drum being held normally fixed relatively to the pulleys of said running block and located in the path of the rope as it passes from one of said pulleys to a block of the other tackle, where by to utilize. the portion of rope connect ing the two tackles to form a line held against movement in one direction by said relatively fixed drum.

3, In means for lowering a load suspended from a tackle, the combination with the tackle of a compensating drum carried by the running block of the tackle and adapted to have one end of the tackle rope wound thereupon; means for rotating said drum independently of the pulleys of said block by which it is supported; and means for controlling the rotation of said drum.

4. In means for lowering boats suspended from two spaced tackles having their falls formed of a single rope, the combination with the running block pulleys of one of the tackles, of a compensating drum mounted on the same shaft with said pulleys for receiving from the same the standing part of the tackle rope, said drum being rotatable independently of said alined pulleys, and located in the path traveled by the rope after it leaves pulley of said running block for its ultimate destination in the other tackle; and braking means for said drum.

5. Means for lowering a lifeboat suspended from two spaced tackles, said tackles having their falls formed of a single rope with its two ends forming individual hauling parts, one for each tackle, and each hauling part operable independently of the other, the combination with the tackles, of a compensating drum carried by the running block of one of the tackles on the same shaft with the pulleys of said running block, said drum being adapted to receive the continuous tackle rope between its ends, and to rotate in either direction independently of the pulleys of said running lolock; and means for normally holding said drum against rotation.

6. In means for lowering loads suspended from two spaced tackles, having their "falls formed of a continuous rope, the coinloina-tion with the tackles, of means located between the ends oi? the rope for passing the rope from either tackle to the other.

7. In means for lowering loads suspended "from two spaced tackles having their falls formed of a single rope, the combination with tlie tackles, of an interposed drum for receiving the rope and passing it from either tackle to the other.

8. In means for lowering loads suspended from two spaced tackles having their falls formed of a single rope, the combination with the tackles, of an interposed drum for receiving the rope and passing it from either tackle to the other; and means for locking said drum in adjusted positions.

9. In means for lowering a boat suspended from two spaced tackles having their falls formed of a single rope, the combination with the running block of one of the tackles, oi means for passing the rope off either tackle onto the other, to simultaneously elevate the running block of the tackle giving up rope and proportionately l0wering the running block of the tackle receiving the rope given up.

In testimony whereof. I afiix my signature.

ANE P. SCHAT. 

